Sharing the Truth With Family Members...

Recently I had the opportunity to share the gospel with 2 of my brothers (I have 3) and it wasn't as bad as i thought it would be. They both seemingly listened with that blank stare i sometimes get from the boys, but at least I got them to talk to me. My younger brother Doug and his family have been coming to our Community group the last 3-4 times and seem to be enjoying themselves. I think our small groups are a great opportunity to reach out to our neighbors and family. The next step is getting them to church. They were coming for the service before Christmas but I think he had to work (he's a nurse) due to his odd hours. I have only tried a handful of times with my oldest brother because I know it will lead to an argument. How lame is that?

I also witnessed to my parents a few years ago when my Dad first got cancer. Now that was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. They had stopped going to church since it split due to some pastoral problems. My Dad cried and thanked me. My Mom on the other hand told me I was just a child and didn't understand! I was 32 at the time! Since then they have both been "truly" saved and are faithful in their walk with God. And believe it our not they have thanked me and asked me for advice from time to time. This leads me to my point. Why is it so hard to witness to our family?

I think the main reason is that they know our shortcomings and our sins more than most. You usually get the "I'm just as good as you, remember when you shot stole the keg and ....." or whatever ignorant thing you did when you were younger. I think we also think we can show our family how "Christian" we are rather than just having a conversation. In my case we got into a conversation about our church we grew up in and I told my brother that wasn't the gospel that was fear. In my case I knew where he was coming from and what his fears were.

It's also harder due to the fact you don't want to alienate you family from your life. You don't want to make them mad or to avoid you. I know I was afraid to approach my parents because i didn't want them to avoid my children. If I made them mad were they going to not spend time with the boys? I know I was scared to approach them also due to the fact I didn't want it to come across like I thought they weren't good parents. They raised me in church, but now I don't feel like I heard the truth. Was it the fact that I was young and heard what I wanted to? Or like my Mom said "I am just a child". Our parents still view us as their children and it's hard for us to approach them as adults. Or our siblings. It's hard for them to take us serious sometimes. My older brother (who has had a hard time growing up) still likes to give me advice on raising children and anything else he can think of.

It all boils down to not trusting in Christ. We are gutless and faithless sinners, who can't seem to put all of our faith in Christ. I should be more worried about their salvation than whether or not they get mad at me. I know I've done a terrible job with my children as well. I should be preparing them to share the gospel and let them see me doing it.

If we put our faith in God he will give us the strength to share the gospel. "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8).